Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is a world-champion swimmer who holds the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympic games. Phelps broke swimmer Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by winning eight golds, besting Spitz by one medal.

Phelps had two very close calls on his way to history. In the 400-meter freestyle relay, Phelps' teammate Jason Lezak came from behind in the anchor leg to catch France's Alain Bernard and win by eight-hundredths of a second. In the 100-meter butterfly, Phelps outtouched Serbia's Milorad Cavic by 0.01 second after trailing for most of the race to win his seventh gold of the games. Seven of Phelps' eight gold medals were won with world-record times.

Phelps has been cited more than once by police for driving under the influence of alcohol. At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Phelps won six golds and two bronze medals. Between Athens and Beijing, Phelps lived in Ann Arbor, Mich., and trained with Club Wolverine and his long-time swimming coach Bob Bowman, who served as the University of Michigan men's swimming coach.

Phelps made his Olympics debut at the 2000 summer games in Sydney. He was just 15 at the time.

Phelps lives in Baltimore and trains at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club in Mount Washington, which he co-owns with Bowman as part of Aquatic Ventures LLC.

Phelps was raised in Rodgers Forge, near Baltimore, and is a graduate of Towson High School.

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